Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Hey, Hurricanes, Michigan here. I know we don't talk that much - not since you came back on us in '88. I hope you don't think we're mad at you for that. We always blame ourselves when we lose - it's never due to the actions of the other team.

Anyway, I'm writing today to tell you not to worry about your hotshot QB recruit Daniel Stegall deciding to play in the minors for the New York Mets instead of heading to Coral Gables. We've suffered an even worse fate in the past. We had a similarly touted QB come and play quarterback, but he played minor league ball at the same time. His first season he was just a dutiful backup. As a sophomore he took time away from a future Hall of Fame quarterback and probably cost us the game against Sparty. As a junior he missed the first three games due to injury and could only lead us to a Capital One Florida Citrus Bowl win.

Then, right before spring practice for his senior season he leaves Ann Arbor all together, despite having said for years that there was no way he would leave college to play baseball. The deicision left us with a raw QB who never really got his sea legs for another couple of years. By then, everyone hated him.

Trust me, Stegall's decision to give up football is for the best. There have been some good QBs who have come back to campus after they failed at baseball. And if he's a hit on the diamond, at least you won't be waiting and worrying that he'll ditch your team right when he's on the brink of greatness.

Henson's massive failure in baseball, and now in the NFL, doesn't even give me pleasure. I can only think about how if he was our QB in 2001, we very well might not have lost to Tosu that year. Remember that one? Tressel essentially guaranteed victory, giving him huge credibility and the biggest building block in getting the Buckeyes where they are now. So even though Henson's been gone for a few years now, his horrible legacy lives on. No, you're much better off with Stegall playing for the Port St. Lucie Mets.

I used to actively root against Henson when he was in the minors. But now, I just find the whole thing quite sad. The worst is when you see the rare "where are they now?" article on him where he says he would have done the same thing over again if given the chance. What a maroon.

You guys, you guys. Tressel essentially guaranteeing victory is either: 1) an urban legend or 2) opinion of someone not fully understanding the English language. It never happened.

Again, for those idiomly challenged, he guaranteed that (unlike in the Cooper era) Buckeye fans would be proud of the football team in Ann Arbor for The Game upcoming. We had just come off a bowl game where the players acted like jerks. He guaranteed that the team would not act like jerks on the football field.

Anyone who equates a promise of the ability to "be proud" of your team, with guaranteeing a victory needs tied up naked and thrown into a Christmas tree. Maybe this has something to do with a Michigan Man's education.

Although Tressel didn't explicitly guarantee victory, a la Jim Harbaugh in 1986, a guarantee was implied. Yes, Cotton, he was also addressing the behavior issues, but I know as I watched him say that I said to myself "There's no way they'll beat us next year. We have Drew Henson!"

cottoncandy, get real. Yes, Tressel did not explicitly say OSU would win and was referring to the character of his team on the field, but do honestly think that's how the majority of Buckstache fans interpreted it? The only way any OSU fans are proud of their team when playing Michigan in Ann Arbor is when they win, period. Especially when that team was 6-4 entering the game.

Well Brad, its obvious that you interpreted it that way. And again, Michigan fans seem languageabally challenged. The words are what they are, and "interpretation" really doesn't come into play. I was going to tell you to go do your homework, but its summer break time, isn't it?

You hit on a few nice points- taking time away from the SR QB which may have cost the sparty game, playing only part of one season then leaving, etc. What you did forget to mention is that Henson's presence as the "QB phenom" kept UM from recruiting a quality QB for many years- Navarre was an also-ran in the QB recruiting department, and UM was fortunate to even have him....

While I certainly blame Henson departure for costing the Blue a very good shot at winning the national title in 2001, the reality is that any of us would have been stupid not to take the money and run. $18 million over 6 years at 21 years of age? No way in hell that I'm sticking around to toss the pigskin to give up that kind of money, even if it is for Michigan.

"I can assure you that you'll be proud of our young people, in the classroom, in the community and most especially in 310 days in Ann Arbor."

The first part I agree with you, he's referencing the character of the team. What about the second part? Why emphasize that the fans will be the "most" proud of their team in Ann Arbor? Because Buckeye fans value above all else a victory over Michigan. It's a clear implication. I don't kow why it's so difficult to admit. Whatever, he backed it up so props to him.

"the reality is that any of us would have been stupid to not take the money and run. $18 million over 6 years at 21 years of age?"

How about $30-40 million over 6 years at 22 years of age? That's a good estimate of what Henson could have had if he had just waited a year. Barring serious injury, he was a lock to be a high draft pick, potentially 1st overall. You wouldn't wait another year for that?

And he could have waited, it's not like he was hurting for cash. He had a loaded Yukon Denali when he was in Ann Arbor. He had already been playing in the minors and had recieved a nice signing bonus upon originally signing with the Yankees out of high school.

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